Year: 2026 | Month: October | Volume: 16 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 1-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20261001
Role of Foot Exercise on Healing of Diabetic Foot Ulcer Patients Attending Surgical OPD of Civil Hospital
Sweta Patel1, Iliyas Juneja2, Nirmal Patel3
1Resident Doctor, Department of General Surgery, P.D.U. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat, India
2Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, P.D.U. Medical College, Rajkot, Gujarat, India
3Resident Doctor, Department of General Surgery, Narendra Modi Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Sweta Patel
ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a major complication of diabetes mellitus, often leading to disability, amputation, and mortality.
Objective: To assess the effect of foot exercises on the healing of diabetic foot ulcers in type 2 diabetic patients.
Methods: A prospective case-control study was conducted over 1.5 years at PDU Hospital, Rajkot, including 100 Wagner grade 1 or 2 diabetic foot ulcer patients, selected by simple random sampling. Patients were assigned to an exercise group (n=50) receiving supervised non-weight-bearing foot exercises plus standard care, or a control group (n=50) receiving standard care. Wound area, depth, discharge, slough, and granulation were assessed at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months. Data were analysed using MS Excel (2021) and SPSS (v26); p<0.05 was considered significant. Ethical clearance was obtained.
Results: The majority of patients were aged 51–60 years, with a male predominance in both groups. Both groups showed wound healing progression; however, the exercise group exhibited a statistically significant reduction in wound area at 3 months (p=0.025). Discharge absence at 1 month was significantly higher (p=0.04) in the exercise group. Slough reduction and granulation tissue increase were more marked in the exercise group, though not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Foot exercises, as an adjunct to standard care, significantly improve wound area reduction and early discharge control in DFUs, suggesting their practical utility in outpatient diabetic foot management.
Key words: Diabetic foot ulcer, Foot exercises, Physical therapy, Type 2 diabetes, Wound healing